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- Influence Weekly #372
Influence Weekly #372
Nii Ahene
January 17, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Meta To End Majority Of Diversity And Inclusion Programs Amid Corporate, Legal Shifts
Top Creator And Content Trends Worth Knowing: YouTube Report
Nivea Sets A Guinness World Record With Influencer Marketing Initiative
PGA TOUR Golf Creator Series Expands After Massive YouTube Success
Great Reads
Meta announced it is terminating the majority of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, citing recent legal shifts and a polarizing view of DEI initiatives. The company will transition its Chief Diversity Officer to an accessibility role and revise hiring practices to remove DEI requirements.
This move comes alongside leadership changes, including appointing a Republican with conservative ties as Chief Global Affairs Officer, and aligns with shifting political dynamics. Other major corporations like McDonald’s, Amazon, and Walmart are also scaling back DEI efforts, though some remain committed citing economic benefits. Meta’s DEI shift coincides with discontinuing U.S. fact-checking and adjusting content moderation policies.
YouTube’s 2024 Global Culture & Trends Report reveals creators are successfully adapting traditional television formats like reality shows and sports broadcasting for digital audiences on YouTube. In France, the hit show “Danse avec les Stars” expanded to YouTube as “Danse avec les Stars d’internet” (#DALSI), generating millions of views. Reality TV shows like Indonesia’s “Clash of Champions” and Brazil’s revival of “Star Academy” have found success reimagining the format for YouTube viewers.
Sports content has also transitioned to YouTube, with the 2024 Olympics coverage on the platform drawing huge viewership in regions like Latin America. The report indicates younger audiences are highly engaged with these new digital adaptations of familiar entertainment formats that maintain core elements while incorporating interactive features unique to online platforms.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the company is ending its fact-checking program, which he said had become too politically biased and amounted to censorship. In an interview with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg said Meta faced “massive institutional pressure” after the 2016 election to censor content, leading it to partner with third-party fact-checkers. While meant to combat misinformation, the program veered into policing ideological content.
Zuckerberg cited the COVID-19 pandemic as an example, saying the Biden administration pushed Meta to remove posts about vaccine side effects. Zuckerberg refused, saying “we’re not going to do that.” He’s replacing fact-checking with a crowdsourced “community notes” model aimed at increasing transparency.
The decision comes as Donald Trump is set to begin a second presidential term. Meta recently added Trump friend Dana White to its board and is donating $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. Zuckerberg said his aim is to return to Meta’s original mission of open sharing and connection, after years of fighting “ideological-based censorship.” He believes fact-checking strayed too far from addressing clear misinformation..
Campaign Insights
The Nivea India brand executed an innovative influencer marketing campaign that set a new Guinness World Record for the largest online video chain of people passing and applying moisturizer. The campaign centered around a choreographed dance routine created by Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu, enlisting 80 top influencers on the short-video platform Moj.
With interactive filters and attractive rewards, the initiative garnered 444 consecutive user videos, surpassing the previous record of 259 videos. The youth-focused strategy showcased Nivea’s commitment to engaging the Indian market through creative digital content and user-generated campaigns. As consumer trust in user-generated content continues rising, the record achievement demonstrated Nivea’s successful expansion into community-driven marketing tactics.
Gymshark’s legal battle with a former brand ambassador highlights the complex risks brands face when working with influencers. The dispute centers on a non-compete clause barring the influencer from endorsing rivals post-contract. While such clauses are common, their enforceability and costs can strain finances if poorly defined. The case underscores power imbalances that can backfire reputationally.
As influencer marketing becomes vital, brands must review contract terms regularly, maintain ethical oversight, and proactively assess financial exposures to mitigate risks. The maturing influencer economy demands strategic foresight beyond follower counts to manage legal, reputational, and financial stakes.
Snapchat launched a new marketing campaign called “Find Your Favorites on Snapchat” featuring creators like Avani Gregg and Loren Gray. The ads aim to remind users they can discover creators’ daily content on Snapchat as the rival TikTok app faces potential shutdown in the US amid national security concerns.
The campaign comes as platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Snap itself position to capture users and creators if TikTok is banned. With over 100 million daily users in North America, Snapchat says 43% don’t use TikTok regularly, highlighting its differentiated audience. While much smaller than TikTok’s ad business, Snap’s Q3 2024 ad revenue grew 10% to $1.25 billion.
Harvard has launched a new digital platform called the One Crimson NIL Exchange to connect its student-athletes with businesses for name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Developed in partnership with Teamworks Influencer, the platform facilitates endorsements, social media promotions, appearances, and other NIL activities while ensuring compliance with NCAA rules.
Businesses can access the portal to engage Harvard athletes for various promotional deals. This move aligns with the increasing interest from brands in the college athletics NIL space to reach Gen Z consumers responsive to influencer marketing.
A potential TikTok shutdown threatens billions in business revenue, as highlighted by brands’ successful campaigns on the platform. Recent data shows the app contributed $24.2 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, with small businesses facing potential losses of $1 billion and creators risking $300 million in monthly earnings if banned.
Major brands have leveraged TikTok’s authentic content approach to reach younger audiences. Duolingo emerged as a standout success, amassing 14.3 million followers through creative mascot content. Warner Bros. utilized the platform for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” promotion, while Walmart tapped into the BookTok community and fashion trends. Stanley’s drinkware brand built a devoted following through product launches and experiential marketing.
HBO demonstrated TikTok’s viral potential with its “House of the Dragon” campaign, blending real-world activations with CGI content that sparked global engagement. These cases illustrate TikTok’s evolution from a dance-trend platform to a crucial marketing channel for both established brands and small businesses.
The PGA Tour is expanding its creator-driven content series for 2025 after the success of its inaugural Creator Classic event in 2024. The 2025 PGA Tour Creator Series will feature three live tournaments spread across marquee events like The Players Championship, the Truist Championship, and the Tour Championship. Over 20 golf content creators will participate, with unique competition formats and broadcast enhancements.
The events will air across platforms like PGA Tour YouTube, ESPN+, FAST channels, and NBC. The Tour has formed a Creator Council of top golf influencers to collaborate on driving further fan engagement. The expanded series capitalizes on the viral success of the 2024 Creator Classic, which reached 60 million fans over four weeks on social media. With increased access and broadcast distribution, the PGA Tour aims to connect with fans in innovative ways by spotlighting popular content creators.
The Shorty Awards’ Elevate Creatives Fund, launched in partnership with Wave, provides comprehensive support for digital creators and entrepreneurs. In its second year, the program witnessed significant growth, with applications increasing by 143%. Managing Director Junmian Sun oversaw this expansion, introducing video submissions to better understand applicants’ stories.
The fund offers substantial financial backing ($120,000 distributed among six recipients), along with access to Wave’s Pro Tier Plan, advisors, and a supportive community. Previous recipients have promoted the program, creating a ripple effect and expanding its reach. The fund highlights the broadening scope of digital creation, with current recipients spanning various fields like climate education, filmmaking, personal training, and fintech expertise.
The selection process involves a jury of industry experts evaluating criteria such as originality, quality of craft, positive impact, and growth plans. Junmian envisions the fund expanding its collaborative reach, with more organizations joining the initiative to support and uplift creators collectively. The fund recognizes creators’ growing influence in shaping media consumption and aims to foster a supportive, trusted community for these digital entrepreneurs.
team5pm, a data-driven social agency, has developed a systematic approach combining entertainment industry expertise with sophisticated analytics to create engaging video content. Their topictree platform guides brands in identifying opportunities, tracking performance metrics like “share of views,” and making data-driven adjustments to video strategies.
With features like competitive intelligence and the ability to differentiate organic from paid performance, topictree enables brands to demonstrate ROI and maintain a competitive edge. As social commerce grows, team5pm plans to integrate commerce metrics into their analytics, recognizing the potential for creators to drive sales. The key is striking a balance between data insights and creativity to produce content that truly resonates with audiences.
Interesting People
BabyBillion, a kids YouTube channel launched in late 2023, hit 1.5 billion monthly views within a year through a data-driven content strategy. Founded by Dinesh Godara and Akshit Chaudhary, the channel analyzed global trends to identify opportunities in children’s entertainment.
With a focus on storytelling, high production values, and platform-specific metrics analysis, BabyBillion rapidly grew to challenge top channels. Their goals include multilingual expansion to over 20 languages, becoming the #1 channel globally by late 2025, and extending into toys, games, and apps. The founders emphasize providing quality educational content while nurturing young talent and building parental trust.
Charlotte Tilbury, the renowned makeup artist and founder of the eponymous cosmetics brand, is taking a stand against the rampant duplication of her bestselling products. With her new “Legendary. For A Reason.” campaign, Tilbury aims to drive awareness that her original, high-quality creations like the Hollywood Flawless Filter and Contour Wand are worth the premium price tag.
Featuring supermodels Kate Moss and Jourdan Dunn, the campaign celebrates Tilbury’s innovative formulas and brand legacy. Despite the rise of lower-priced “dupes,” Charlotte Tilbury Beauty continues its meteoric success, reporting $568 million in sales last year. As the brand expands into new markets like Mexico and China, Tilbury remains committed to upholding her artistic vision and signature makeup artistry without compromising on quality or craftsmanship.
YouTube Creators Colin And Samir Lose Palisades Homes To Fire While Both Of Their Wives Are Pregnant
YouTube creators Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry revealed they lost their homes in the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles while both of their wives are pregnant. In a candid Instagram post, the influencer duo shared the “enormity of the loss is very overwhelming” as the fire destroyed their Palisades neighborhood.
Though grateful for the support from friends like DudePerfect who started a GoFundMe raising over $120,000, they are focused on supporting their families during this difficult time. The destructive wildfire has burned over 20,000 acres with only 8% containment so far, impacting many other celebrities who lost homes and forcing evacuations across the region..
The creator economy continues to evolve, with innovative programs empowering athletes, creators, and underserved communities to build sustainable digital careers. Randy Osei’s Athlete Tech Group (ATG) is at the forefront, providing training and opportunities through initiatives like the Black Creator Academy.
This 12-week bootcamp equips Black youth in Toronto with skills in content creation, financing, and pitching ideas, with industry mentors and a chance to win funding. ATG also partners with major brands to offer programs supporting Black youth entry into tech careers. As AI’s role in content grows, Osei believes creators providing authentic human connections will thrive. ATG aims to create widespread economic opportunities by upskilling the next generation of resilient creator entrepreneurs.
Hannah Neeleman, the creator behind the 10-million-follower Ballerina Farm brand, has temporarily relocated her family to Ireland to attend the prestigious Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork. The influencer, known for her homesteading and cooking content, made the announcement through TikTok videos showing her and husband Daniel in chef uniforms.
The move demonstrates the growing professionalization of content creators, as Neeleman seeks formal culinary training to enhance her brand, which includes a successful online store selling cooking supplies and food items. The family, including their eight children, traveled via JetBlue - an airline founded by Daniel’s father - and will maintain their Utah farm operations during their absence.
Neeleman’s transition highlights how major social media personalities are investing in traditional education to strengthen their expertise, even after achieving significant online success. Her Ballerina Farm accounts command massive followings across platforms, with 10.1 million Instagram followers, 9.8 million on TikTok, and nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers.
Industry News
New research from Rutgers University suggests TikTok’s algorithm serves less content critical of China compared to other platforms like Instagram and YouTube when users search for topics related to China’s human rights issues. The study found TikTok showed fewer anti-China posts in search results, with more irrelevant content, yet those anti-China posts received significantly higher user engagement.
Survey data indicated increased TikTok usage correlated with more positive views of China’s human rights record, even when controlling for other factors. While limited, the findings raise questions about TikTok’s content curation and potential influence on public perceptions of China.
Authors including Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates have filed a lawsuit claiming Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally approved the company’s use of pirated books from the LibGen archive to train its AI models, despite internal warnings about potential legal risks. The lawsuit cites internal messages stating Zuckerberg greenlit using LibGen data, which a court previously ruled was illegally obtained through copyright infringement.
Meta faces growing legal battles over whether training AI on copyrighted works without permission constitutes fair use. While a judge previously dismissed some of the authors’ claims, they aim to revive the case with new evidence alleging Meta’s leadership knowingly infringed copyrights. The filing escalates tensions around developing AI responsibly without exploiting creative works.
Instagram has confirmed shutting down its creator ad program that allowed influencers to earn revenue from ads placed between content on their profiles. The program launched in 2022 as a U.S. test before expanding globally in 2024, but is now being terminated.
While creators can no longer monetize through this program, Meta will continue placing ads between posts on public non-teen Instagram accounts. Brands can also restrict ads from appearing alongside specific creators’ content.
This move adds to Meta’s history of testing and scrapping various creator monetization initiatives like IGTV ad revenue sharing and Instagram’s affiliate marketing program. However, Instagram advertising remains crucial for Meta, generating over $16 billion in 2022 ad revenue.
A recent forecast projects Instagram’s U.S. ad revenue share of Meta’s total will exceed 50% for the first time in 2025 at $32 billion, following substantial user growth. Though the creator ad program has ended, Instagram is a significant and growing part of Meta’s advertising business amid its various ebbs and flows with creator monetization offerings.
Pixelfed, a decentralized and ad-free Instagram alternative, has launched official mobile apps for iOS and Android amidst a surge in popularity. With Meta’s recent changes to content moderation policies on Facebook and Instagram, Pixelfed is seeing “unprecedented levels of traffic” as users seek alternative platforms.
The creator of Pixelfed also launched a decentralized TikTok alternative called Loops last year, further expanding options for users looking to migrate from major social media platforms. As TikTok faces potential bans in the US and Meta’s policy shifts, Pixelfed and Loops offer users alternative spaces free from ads and centralized control. The new mobile apps aim to provide a seamless experience for users exploring these decentralized social networks.
Whatnot, a livestream shopping platform aiming to rival TikTok Shop, has raised $265 million at a $4.97 billion valuation. The funding will be used to enhance platform functionality, improve customer service, expand into new markets like Australia, introduce new product categories, and conduct a share buyback.
Whatnot reported over $3 billion in sales last year, hosting 175,000 hours of livestreams weekly across categories like sneakers and collectibles. While TikTok Shop faced regulatory uncertainty, with ByteDance ordered to sell its U.S. operations, Whatnot’s growth positions it as a formidable competitor in the livestream shopping space still gaining traction in the U.S. market.
Elon Musk is using his newly acquired social media platform X as a testing ground for his AI ambitions through xAI, his AI startup valued at $50 billion. xAI employees have exclusive access to X’s data and user base, rolling out AI features like story summaries, question prompts, and potentially post modifications. Branding for xAI’s Grok AI model now dominates X’s interface, symbolizing Musk’s priorities.
While benefiting from its X integration, xAI operates relatively independently with separate funding and soaring valuation compared to X’s struggling $19 billion worth. As X faces challenges with its “everything app” vision and advertiser exodus, it increasingly serves as a private testing ground for xAI rather than a free speech platform, blurring accountability lines across Musk’s companies. The symbiotic yet ambiguous relationship allows xAI’s moonshot AI goals to thrive unburdened by X’s social media turmoil.
Captions, a video editing app backed by top venture capital firms, is making its core features free amid uncertainty surrounding rival CapCut’s future in the U.S. The move aims to capture users who may lose access to CapCut’s tools if its parent ByteDance is forced to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a ban.
Captions’ new free tier includes basic video editing, subtitles, and teleprompter tools, while advanced AI features remain paid. The company plans to expand its AI capabilities to lower pricing tiers as costs decrease to compete with established video editors like CapCut and InShot. The strategic shift positions Captions to benefit from a potential vacuum if CapCut exits the U.S. market.
The U.S. Apple App Store has seen a surge in downloads of RedNote (known as Xiaohongshu in China), a Chinese social media and e-commerce platform. This rise comes amid a potential ban on TikTok in the U.S., set for January 19th, over national security concerns related to its Chinese ownership. RedNote, valued at $17 billion, blends short videos with e-commerce features, enabling users to share product reviews and make purchases.
While facing similar ownership concerns, RedNote has not faced comparable regulatory pressure. TikTok’s parent ByteDance is challenging the ban, with former President Trump supporting a delay until after the new administration takes office. Some users view RedNote’s growth as an opportunity to connect with Chinese citizens, potentially countering anti-China narratives.
Brat TV, a leading digital entertainment studio, has acquired Electric Monster and rebranded as ZATV to expand its presence on YouTube and other social platforms. The merger combines Brat TV’s expertise in original programming with Electric Monster’s established YouTube channels like React and Kids Learning Tube.
ZATV will operate three additional divisions - Little Monster for YouTube strategy, Beeline Talent for influencer marketing, and Now Playing to assist studios with YouTube marketing. The consolidated company brings together top executives from both firms under the leadership of Brat TV CEO Rob Fishman, positioning ZATV to dominate the youth-focused digital content space.
Mastodon, the decentralized social network, has announced plans to transfer its ownership to a new nonprofit organization. This move aims to affirm that Mastodon should not be owned or controlled by a single individual, aligning with its founder Eugen Rochko’s original intent. While Rochko will take on a product strategy role, the platform’s key components will be transferred to a yet-to-be-finalized European nonprofit entity.
For users, nothing will change immediately as Mastodon continues hosting servers and supporting its federated network. The core mission remains creating online communities free from ads, data exploitation, and corporate monopolies. This transition comes amid controversies surrounding other platforms like WordPress and Meta’s content moderation decisions.
Registration Required
As the future of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance with a pending Supreme Court ruling, American creators are flocking to Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese social media app. Often referred to as “Red Note,” the app topped U.S. downloads, fueled by TikTok users encouraging their followers to join in a defiant move against concerns over TikTok’s China ties. Xiaohongshu, with over 300 million users mostly in China, allows sharing short videos and text posts, mirroring TikTok’s format.
Creators view the migration as a way to show their indifference to Washington’s national security worries about the Beijing-based ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok. As they await the pivotal ruling that could force a TikTok ban, American influencers aim to retain their engaged audiences by transitioning to the Chinese alternative platform.
A group of influencers have filed a class-action lawsuit against Capital One, alleging the bank’s Capital One Shopping browser extension unfairly claims credit for online sales by overriding the creators’ affiliate marketing tracking cookies and replacing them with Capital One’s own cookies. The plaintiffs claim this practice essentially “steals” commissions that should have gone to the influencers who initially drove the sales through their affiliate links shared on social media.
Capital One denies the allegations, stating it disagrees with the premise of the lawsuit and looks forward to defending itself in court. The case highlights the contentious issue of “last-click attribution” in affiliate marketing, where the entity getting credit for a sale is determined by the final marketing touchpoint before purchase. For the suit to proceed as a class action, the court will need to certify that the case represents a significantly large group.
Chinese officials are considering the possibility of Elon Musk acquiring TikTok’s US operations if the app fails to overturn a proposed ban. Though Beijing prefers TikTok remain under parent company ByteDance’s ownership, contingencies are being discussed given the US Supreme Court’s likely upholding of the ban.
One option involves Musk taking over the US business as part of broader negotiations with the Trump administration. However, ByteDance’s current strategy remains contesting the ban through legal appeals. The discussions highlight complexities around TikTok’s future as US-China tensions escalate over data security concerns.
Mark Zuckerberg is entering a new era of leadership at Meta, dubbed “Zuckerberg 3.0.” To kick off 2025, Meta ended third-party fact-checking and dismantled diversity initiatives, moves that appear aligned with Donald Trump’s anti-“woke” agenda. Zuckerberg claims a changing legal landscape prompted the DEI rollback, but employees see it as abandoning values.
While he denies purely political motivations, Zuckerberg has increasingly embraced a bold, masculine style and decisiveness that seem influenced by Trump and the new administration’s tastes. The shifts have drawn both praise from conservatives and backlash from Meta employees and fact-checkers concerned about misinformation and backsliding on inclusion.